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This a quick test to start putting into practice some of the wonderful behaviours of fountain pen inks learned over the last 18 months. J Herbin 1670 Emeraude de Chivor is a magnificent ink. Not only does it bleed beautifully with water giving these gorgeous cloud like effects, when adding pen on top you get that dark emerald with the deep pink sheen and, of course, that gold. Once the chromatic process had dried inside the circle, all I had to do was decide what to do with it, so, here are two Edwardian lovers frolicking about in the sea. And all this from one ink! More fountain pen ink art at https://quinkandbleach.wordpress.com/2017/01/19/emeraude-de-chivor-a-quick-dip/ Art on Bockingford 200lb watercolour paper using a Desiderata Daedalus with titanium zebra G flex nib. Many thanks to Sam Bell of ExaClair for the sample. Just for the record – I do this for myself, I receive no remuneration what-so-ever and I tell it exactly how I see it.

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/20160830_0007.jpg Emeraude on Rhodia Dotpad no. 16. Title drawn with a 1.5mm Brause no. 180 nib and plenty of gum arabic. http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/20160830_0008.jpg http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/20160830_0011.jpg Undiluted (left) and diluted (50%, right) splotches. http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/20160828_0001-2.jpg http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/20160828_0001.jpg Peacock painted with Emeraude de Chivor, Sailor Souten, and a hint of J. Herbin Cacao du Brésil on Stillman & Birn Gamma Series paper. This is a review that I thought I had already done. When I set out to do it again, I realized why I never finished the first time round. Emeraude de Chivor is one difficult ink. It is oversaturated, much too wet, stains everything, and threatens to clog my pen. It also refuses to work with a dipped without plenty of gum arabic, which removes the sheen (but adds gloss). Is anyone actually writing with this ink? I'll admit Emeraude looks pretty good coming out of my wife's mint Kaweco Sport, but I won't be putting it in any of my pens any time soon. Too staining, too clogging, and it smears when dry a la Rouge Hematite. So what on earth could I ever use this for? Well, that peacock looks pretty nice, for one. I love the way three distinct colors can be gotten through dilution: gold/red/black when laid down really thick, a dark emerald green at full volume, a brilliant turquoise when diluted. And it looks great alongside the pink-sheening Souten. Looks like this one is permanently relegated to the art shelf. Now I just have to find some subject matter that requires a glittery teal...